Impact of Oncological Therapy and Viscum album LTreatment on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Internal Coherence in NonmetastasizedBreast Cancer Patients

摘要

Introduction:Viscum album L extracts (VA) are frequently used in integrativeoncology. Aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of add-on VA applicationson various patient-reported outcome measures. Methods: Alongitudinal real-world study was conducted, using data from the NetworkOncology clinical registry. Primary, nonmetastasized breast cancer patientstreated with oncological standard therapy partly combined with VA applicationswere included. Internal Coherence Cancer-related Fatigue, and EORTC QLQ-C30questionnaires were assessed at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months later.Results: A total of 319 patients received standard oncologicaltherapy and 40% of them additionally VA applications. After 6 and 12 months forpatients treated with chemotherapy (Ctx) only a significant decline of thethermo-coherence, and worsening of fatigue was observed. For patients receivingVA applications but no Ctx, significant beneficial effects on thermo-coherence,fatigue, and seven EORTC QLQ-C30 scales were observed 24 months later. Adjustedmultivariable long-term subgroup (n = 106) regression analysisrevealed that Ctx, immuno-, and endocrine therapies had a worsening of 17, 17,and 6 point changes, respectively, for EORTC QLQ-C30 fatigue (P= .0004), while VA applications showed an improvement of 12 point change. Asimilar impact of improvement (add-on VA) and worsening (standard oncologicaltreatment regimens) on EORTC QLQ-C30 insomnia (P = .009) andphysical functioning (P = .005) were observed.Conclusions: In the present real-world study, add-on VAapplications had a supportive effect on cancer-related fatigue, insomnia,physical functioning, and thermo-coherence. Thus, VA applications might besuited to alleviate symptom burden during anticancer therapy in breast cancerpatients.